Bill Withers’ incomparable debut album, Just As I Am, turned 50 this month. Lauded as “one of the greatest, most personal soul LPs ever recorded” by Apple Music, a “brick red vinyl” special edition has been announced. To further celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bill’s debut, Just As I Am, Vinyl Me, Please is pressing a limited edition version on brick red vinyl. Click here to pre-order now while you still can!
In addition, Consequence of Sound is celebrating the anniversary with a new four-episode arc of their podcast THE OPUS launched recently. They have launched a sweepstakes to win the VMP vinyl, a Gibson acoustic and a Sony sound system. Click here to learn more.
Do yourself favor and click here to dive into the album again!
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In an excerpt from recent article in Consequence Sound, Robert Ham reviews the legendary soul LP below:
To understand who Bill Withers was, it’s almost unnecessary to listen to a single note of his debut album, Just as I Am. Every aspect of his worldview is right there in the photo of Withers that graces the front cover of that LP, released in May 1971.
Through photographer Norbert Jobst’s lens, Withers is found leaning up against a brick wall, allegedly at the factory where the soon-to-be legendary singer-songwriter clocked in every weekday to install toilets in commercial airliners. In his right hand, he carries a sturdy lunchbox. The left pocket of his jeans bulges with what looks to be a pack of cigarettes — the kind of indulgence that allows folks to step outside the drudgery of the day job for a few precious minutes. Withers peers right at the camera, with an expression of bemusement, disbelief, and a little bit of distrust.
“I don’t take much of it seriously, you know?” Withers told New York Times journalist Clayton Riley in 1972. “I mean, look, I’m really a factory worker. That’s a real job. This thing I’m doing now, hey, it’s a break, just a break. I don’t expect to be here very long.”
Click here to read the full article.
Original Source: Consequence Sound
